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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28249179">15 days before the dawn ( Old ends and New beginnings.)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaakisaur/pseuds/Jaakisaur'>Jaakisaur</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The dusk shine brighter than dawn. [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hollow Knight (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Acrophobia, Deepnest honorifics, Ghost and Hallow are NOT hatchmates, Ghost has a lot of direct siblings, Ghost: I’m babey, Hatchmates, Herrah makes a bad decision, Herrah: What are you?, Im srrry, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Know those stupid little critters in the room with the hidden nosk fight entrance, No I didn't kill Ghost in the first chapter, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sensory Overload, Separation Anxiety, The consequences of Ghosts actions, They are, Trauma, Void poisoning, Void rot, Well - Freeform, Worldbuilding, all vessels use they/them, did I mention that Ghost is like super small in this?, first HK fic, future sight, heho, its fine now though, poggers, those are the silipedes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:40:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,712</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28249179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaakisaur/pseuds/Jaakisaur</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Herrah thought she'd struck a garpede nest when she managed to convince that Pale Wyrm to give her a child. </p><p>Well, if that was a nest, she just struck a colony.</p><p> </p><p>Down in the depths of the abyss, a vessel begins their journey</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hornet &amp; The Knight (Hollow Knight), The Knight &amp; Siblings (Hollow Knight)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The dusk shine brighter than dawn. [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2069379</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>100</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. ???</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It is dark in their home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It is always dark in their home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The vessel has always lived in the darkness of their home. Surrounded by the chitin and broken bodies of their siblings, they and their other hatchmates have only barely managed to survive. Maybe it was the fact that they’d hatched so far from the surface that saved the others. Or the fact that since They had been the quickest to leave and ascend, that the others had been given the terror and long-fear (Trauma, they would later learn the word. Trauma) of seeing them fall onto the other bodies of their siblings and snap them away from the </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>All-light-pure-warmth-cometome-ascendmyhollowchildren-containherlightthaticannot</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From the Taking Light that shone brightly even after the door closed and home was laid in darkness (They could still hear the sounds of their foolish siblings trying to ascend long after Eternal Darkness came back then.). They were lucky though, the crack in their mask was easily fixed by all the soul lying uselessly around them. They don’t like thinking about that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was before though, now is now. And their hatchmates want to leave now. This is not what they had expected to happen. Maybe it was the growing aggression from the Dark Sea, or the fact that they couldn’t bear to live surrounded by the chitin and shells of their siblings, but they wanted to leave </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>. They’d found an exit on the far wall, the one that was closest to the Dark Shore, brought to by one of the various bugs that littered the area, which had scurried up the open just a little ways above their head and out of sight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yet even when they had so insistently denied the wishes of their hatchmates, they had the responsibility as the eldest sibling to make sure that the way is safe. So, albeit reluctantly, they began their ascent to whatever lie above them. Leaving behind their hatchmates and home for a place more unfamiliar than the Light that had shone way back then.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>As it turned out, the climb itself was not much of a task by themself. They didn’t doubt that with all of their hatchmates the ascent would be incredibly time-consuming and daunting. The many twists, turns and gaps within the exit had been difficult enough to traverse by themselves. Yet they knew for certain that the less capable of them would find it nearly impossible to cross. They’d also noticed some point into their journey of the various </span>
  <em>
    <span>things</span>
  </em>
  <span> sticking out of the rocks around them, weird objects that jut out in every place they could, ending in a weird bulbous area that bobbed when they brushed past. Some, much to their ire, glowed a dim cool light. So similar to It that it nearly hurt, yet so </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span> that they couldn’t help but stare and wonder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they continued on, the objects became more common, and the tunnel they’d spent who knows how long in became basked in a soft, cool glow that casted their carapace in its glow. Before they knew it, they were walking in a tunnel completely covered in the objects, a place in such contrast from their normally dark, bleak home that they could barely stand. Every movement they made sent their head spiralling into itself and their insides churned uncomfortably. Yet, they persisted onwards, at every twist, every turn, and every unexpected rock unto foot, annoyance and anger sparked as they desperately wished for this nightmare to stop. For everything to snuff itself out and disappear, to go back home to their hatchmates and </span>
  <em>
    <span>rest</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yet, they persisted on, on through the swirling tunnels and rumbling rocks overhead. The feeling of everything around them rumbling, and shaking, and shifting. The light that pressed against their entire being swirling and moving to create a near-blinding expanse of light sent them to their knees. Vaguely they could hear the crashing of something behind them, and turned their head down the path they’d already taken before. The sight before them sending a shudder throughout their feeble body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A large, </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> had burst from the wall behind them and began making its way over in their direction. Through the haze of their thoughts they could just barely make out its appearance. The thing looked nothing like the prey common within their home, it’s two sets of mandibles much larger than any other they’d seen. The first was most likely what it used to break through the wall, the second was most definitely where it ate its prey. Seeing as it was snapping feverishly as it got closer, a strangely clear liquid escaping it’s maw as the thing descended upon them, snatching them up and swallowing them whole.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their last discernible thought was of how much they wished they could see even one of their siblings.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I take asks and stuff on my tumblr: @jaakisaur<br/>Maybe you can catch some of my vague posts ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. ???</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It is dark in the cave.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It is as dark as home in the cave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The vessel wakes up in the belly of whatever had eaten them. At least, they guess thats what they’re in. The insides are stained a dark color, with an inky black liquid bubbling hotly underneath them, and when they stretch their neck to survey the area around them, a large gaping hole presents itself right behind him. The liquid underneath them spilling out of the edge and onto the rocks below. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pushing themselves off the floor and out of the body, they turn back to see that they did indeed awake in a belly. More specifically, the belly of whatever had eaten them in the tunnel. At least, that’s what it kind of looked like. The creature lay on it’s side, with its maw gaped and spilling out the same black liquid from it’s stomach. One of it’s larger mandibles had been broken off and they found it to be not too far from where they stood. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s eyes looked to be gouged out, with the same liquid that,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Actually, now that they were paying attention to the creature, it’s entire body seems to being leaking the black liquid. With the places that were stained with the remnants of it looking to be corroded. The creature died from it, how strange. They turn back to the discarded mandible, eyeing it. This could probably be used to defend themself, after all, who knows what else could be in this cave with them? They heave them mandible into their arms, it’s much heavier than they thought it was, and it feels a tad bit awkward to hold. Even still, it’s better than nothing. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So with a weapon to defend themself and a goal to escape, they begin their journey out of the cave. If they could get down this cliff that is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As it turned out, nothing else was in the cave with them. Everything in the cave had died from the liquid, the sight of the multitude of bodies scattered around them didn’t do much to calm their nerves. After all, what would happen to them if they couldn’t find their way out? Their hatchmates? Would they come looking for them and get snatched up just like they? Would they stay away from the hole for good and they’d be left wandering through this cave forever? They had never been alone before, they’d always had a hatchmate with them (whether they liked it or not). Yet this unbearable emptiness, with all these twists, and turns, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>decisions</span>
  </em>
  <span> that they had to make by themself seemed to bear down on them, churning their insides. What will happen to them?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They press on anyways, this experience while new, was almost nothing compared to what had happened in the light tunnel. Perhaps that's a good thing, as long as they stayed away from anything like that. Though, soon enough they assume they’ve reached the outside of the cave. The ceiling raises above their head, though its close enough that they can still see it, unlike their home. Yet far enough that they have to crane their neck to see it. That’s a good sign, maybe if they continue this way they’ll find the tunnel they came from and return home. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Happily,they stretch their arms and legs. They had gotten cramped and sore from some of the crawling they’d had to do, and it was good to loosen them up. Of course, they hadn’t gotten far into the exercise before a small shower of pebbles rained onto their head. Pausing, they had half the mind to look up at whatever caused such an event, before their eyes were assaulted with a strange new color. A vicious cry coming from whatever was rapidly descending upon them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Crack</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Weaver Cross</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There are several things on her mind right now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, the princess is not one of them.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps it was a gift from the White Lady, or simply the calm before the storm. But for the past several days there had been no escape attempts by the princess, and Cross along with her fellow weavers finally had time to relax. She supposed that it’s because of her Ceremony due in two months, and Queen Herrah had managed to keep her in check. Though it’s anyone’s guess, the princess has a mind of her own. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her current activities consisted of hunting. There had been no reports of garpede in the southern spikefields which most definitely meant that Silimedes in the area were out and about. She’d seen a few of her web returning with entire net fulls of the critters, and they’d spoken of an extremely high amount of them converging. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Trotting down the familiar path to one of the caverns, Cross shrugs her nets over to the other shoulder. Even now she can hear the skittering of the silimedes legs, even though she’s more than a minute out from the field. They </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> be riled up, but from the lack of scratches on the others she knows that's not the case. Frowning, she clicks her mandibles against each other in confusion. By the sound steadily growing louder, there are more than she thought. As the entrance to the field comes into view, she speeds up, whatever is going on she needs to see this.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cross jerks to a stop shortly before she reaches the dip leading into the fields. Or, what’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>supposed</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be the field. The silimedes have completely overtaken the entire area, countless bodies squirming over and around each other in a strange frenzy for food. Cross doesn’t doubt for a second that there's a layer of dead bodies underneath them. The floors are completely devoid of mushrooms, even the poisonous ones have been eaten. She could see some of the unmoving silimedes around where they used to be, foam and hemolymph coming from their mouths. Some of the bugs are even attempting to scale the ceiling to access the rest of the mushrooms with no avail.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This is, </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrifying</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Such aggressive behaviour from what used to be a docile and skittish bugs absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>needs</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be reported to the Researchers and Queen immediately. Though, it would make her look bad if she returned empty handed from her hunting expedition, and it would be good to quell the size of the frenzy, no matter how little. With a sigh, Cross readies her silk and </span>
  <em>
    <span>leaps</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Hauling all four nets behind her, Cross sighs heavily. The situation hadn’t calmed down in the slightest, but thankfully it hadn’t gotten worse. She tossed a few Hawkhews over the crowd to the far wall to cull a bit more, but she doubts that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The skittering of feet on rock echoes down the tunnel she’s in, and before she can question it a figure rushes into view. A royal scout if she recalls, obviously out of shape by the way they pant once they reach her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We-Weaver Cross?” The scout huffes anxiously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, and what of it?” She internally winces, her tone coming out much harsher than she wanted. Though the cuts and scrapes she gained from her netting stung greatly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The, the Princess!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh no.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Princess has escaped!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Oh no.</em>
  </b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Send me asks and stuff on my tumblr @jaakisaur</p><p>Maybe you’ll catch one off mg vagueposts about this au ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Princess</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Princesses and Intruders, fights and try-flights.</p>
<p>Actions and Consequences.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Intruders in the Territory of Deepnest must be caught.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That means that The Princess totally should be forgiven for leaving her home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, she hasn’t been found (yet), but this guarantees that she won't get in trouble! The intruder, whatever it is, isn’t moving. So she thinks that she’ll be extra safe when she returns! Cuz’ not only did she catch an intruder, she knocked them out too! She stands triumphantly above the intruder, cackling quietly. (It’s not that she doesn’t want to get caught, she’s just being careful of any ambushes, ok!)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She doesn’t know what bug it is, so she leaves in rrrreeealllyyy close to get a got look at it. Eyehole to eyehole, she’s gotta make sure that she is certain of the species before she tells her mama! She should have known that the bug wasn’t truly asleep. Because when it notices that her guard is down and slams their mask into hers!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Arrrwgwgghhh!” She, the Princess aggressively roars, because she does </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> whine like a little nestling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That is not what she did! Instead she gets up, while rubbing her forehead. It stings a little, but she bets that it hurts a lot for the other. And as she suspects, when she looks over to the offending bug. They’re rolling around on the ground clutching their head in their arms. Ha! Mama always told her she was hard-headed! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Though, the Princess admits how trained they must be, she hasn’t heard a peep from them at all! She’ll get a word from them soon though, like, right now! She marches over and grabs their cloak while ignoring how tattered and ugly it looks, stained with blacks and what looks to be Blue-veiled Shroom stains. (She’s pretty familiar with those, even if they only grow in a specific area in Deepnest. She got in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> of trouble after that.) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Who awe you and wha awe you doing in Deepness!” The Princess yells.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>A tingle</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The intruder does not respond, all they do is look at her blankly like she does to her herbs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wha do you wan from us Intwuda!” She doesn’t have much time, so she shouts it in their face, still no response.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The intruder tugs at her hands, obvious trying to escape her rock solid super-strength.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tew me who you wok for!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of footsteps echoes down the hall, they’re here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a vicous cry, she tackles the bug to the ground just as a flash of brown enters her vision. She claws at them with her claws while they try to fight back, though their moves are sloppy and she can easily block them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She feels at tug on her cloak. They’re trying to pull her off! Don’t they realize that she’s protecting her kingdom from intruders! But theirs not time to waste, she has to subdue them!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(In the future, The Princess while realize how dire her decision became, but right now, she’s still a child. And children make bad decisions.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Its just that the consequences she’ll face are too much for her to deal with.)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So The Princess scrambles for anything she can get her claws on; a horn, an arm, even a piece of cloak, anything will do. And she finds purchase on something thin, probably a piece of their cloak, and she </span>
  <em>
    <span>pulls.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The effects are instantaneous, the bug under her writhes in pain before latching onto one of her horns, and throws her into the wall behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She,,, feels something break. she can’t think to good though. And her cloak is starting to feel really yucky so she croaks out to one of the adults around. When no one comes, she strains her eyes open and sees the intruder wiggling ferocious in a net, trying to lunge at anything that gets to close.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Distant voices, and a funny looking blob floats over to her. She doesn’t know what happens next. The Princess passes out.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Queen Herrah</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As a Queen, Herrah has many duties</p><p> </p><p>But she thinks this is a respectable occasion to ignore them.</p><p> </p><p>She’d gotten the news sometimes after she sent her scouts out to get her child. Of course, she didn’t expect anything to happen to her child. Her scouts knew better than to allow any harm to come to her child, but obviously she was wrong.</p><p> </p><p>She’d been addressing a concern from one of the eastern villages (something about the garapede burrowing closer than usual to their farms, if she could recall) when one of her advisors skittered into her study.</p><p> </p><p>They shuffled, obviously nervous, “Ah, my Queen?” Yes. Definitely nervous.</p><p> </p><p>Idly she waves a hand for them to continue, reading through a particularly unrelated section on the welfare of the village leader.</p><p> </p><p>“Erm, it’s about the princess,” They pause as if waiting for her to speak, once they’re sure that she has nothing to say they continue.</p><p> </p><p>“The Princess has bea- erm, The Princess has been injurEd” Their normally hesitant speech ends in a squeal as she slams her pen onto the table.</p><p> </p><p>She snaps her head toward the advisor, who currently cowers at the entrance of her study. Herrah doesn’t doubt that if she was without her mask, the advisor would have curled up on the spot. Though, even with it on they look quite close. </p><p> </p><p>No words are needed as she stands from her seat and stalks toward the bug. They jolt before swiftly leading her throughout the suspiciously empty halls of her palace. No doubt word got out. How, <em> disappointing. </em>As they turn into the hall that houses the infirmary, she quickens her pace and overtakes the advisor. Taking it as their time to leave, they hurriedly turn and scurry down the hallway.</p><p> </p><p>She’ll deal with them later, but for now, her daughter is much more important.</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“The Princess is fine, her most grievous injury is the fracture on the back of her head and a broken arm, but she will most likely make a full recovery before her departure.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Great, and is there anything else you would like to add in?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, she will most likely have auditory hallucinations for the next month, but otherwise any unexpected events or side effects will be reported to you immediately.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, you shall be dismissed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Herrah stalks through the halls like a bug on a mission, and well, she is. Said mission is to reach the dungeon that the worthless stagstain of a bug that hurt her child resides. She knows the way almost step for step, of course she would. This specific dungeon was built specifically for the bugs who had wronged her on a personal level, perfect for the bug currently residing in it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’d ordered the bug to be thrown in immediately, pointedly ignoring the pleads from the infirmary to check them for any injuries. They didn’t need such luxuries, after all, they most definitely won't make it through the night. Turning sharply, she gazes at the stone door that conceals her captive. A grin creeps upon her face as she slides open the door, today might just be the most entertaining day she’s had in awhile.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you been enjoying your stay? I made this room for bugs like you, you know, so I sincerely wish you like your very short stay.” Herrah doesn’t even bother facing the bug behind her as she closes the door, though she does hear the rustling of the silk they’re trapped in.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Though, they don’t respond. It’s a shame really, but they’ll talk later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She turns “Do you understand just how much you’ve f-“ and she catches sight of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, in the beginning of her monologue she couldn’t see the bug. They’d been swaddled in the net one of her weavers had spun, and hadn’t quite managed to get out yet. Though, one of their horns has torn the fabric up, giving them a chance to free themselves. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And, dear </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wyrm</span>
  </em>
  <span> they were small, their eyes just barely managing to peer over the swath of fabric encasing them. Though, she couldn't quite tell, they looked to be the size of her daughter, if only a bit smaller. Their horns themselves-,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Oh? How interesting. They seemed to be carrying a Garpede mandible, which seemed to have been cut through the net, not their horn like she initially thought. Their actual horns were much too smooth to effectively cut anything really. Frozen, Herrah watched as they clambered out of the net, stubby limb grasping onto footholds and stood to their full height.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She had been right, the bug was no taller than her daughter, even if they used their horns as measurements. Though, now that she looked closer, she could see an odd resemblance to the Pure Vessel. Yes, she could see it clearly now, the strange multi fabric cloak (even if the colors weren’t the same, a deep blue contrasting to the Vessel’s bright white), the horns were similar enough though this bug’s were much smoother and only had two prongs. Their eyes held the same starch emptiness that the other had (though, when she stared long enough she could catch a glimpse of </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> that tugged on her heartstrings) and their body, while seeming to be less developed than the other, still had the same deep black color as the other.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kneeling down (while internally cursing her maternal instincts) Herrah opens her arms to the young one, when they seemed to hesitate she gently called out to them, “Come here dear child, I didn't mean to scare you. We’ll get you out of here and fixed up in no time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They seemed to hesitate a bit more, as if weighing their options, before swiftly walking into her arms. Immediately she stands back up, ignoring the coldness that seemed to elude from them. She exits the room, careful not to jostle the young one too much. Even when it had only been seconds since they’d been picked up, the child had practically melted into her arms, and by the steadiness of their breathe, had fallen asleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Briskly walking down the hall, Herrah pointedly decided to ignore the irony of her situation as she headed back to the infirmary</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ah, short chapter today. But i’ll finish it tomorrow.</p><p>Wanted to make sure y’all had an update ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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